Digestive issues no matter what I eat. Long, but Please help!!

kshama2001

I think there are some people here who can only eat fruits cooked (?) I can't remember the name for the condition. @Kalikel were you one of them?

Liftng4Lis

What does your doctor say?

Kalikel

kshama2001 wrote: »

I think there are some people here who can only eat fruits cooked (?) I can't remember the name for the condition. @Kalikel were you one of them?

I used to have serious problems with fresh fruits and veggies, but they've eased up a lot over the years...don't ask me why. Not looking that gift horse in the mouth, anyway. Still have never eaten melons, though. Maybe one day!

The OPs issues sound like they need way more care than anyone could give online. OP needs a regular doctor and a psychiatrist, not a message board. IMO, anyway.

Cahgetsfit

a long time ago I had severe IBS. I saw a naturopath, went on a pretty full on cleanse diet thing and it is cured. After the treatment I still had to be careful of what I ate - like no fried foods and other things that made it flare back up but over time I am now OK.

The cleanse was basically a vegetable juice diet for a month. carrot, beetroot, celery, parsley, watercress and silverbeet - juiced and drunk as often as I needed during the day. I was not hungry. The first 3 days were hell and I felt like I wanted to chew things and felt nauseous and gross and my tongue was all green and feral and ugh - it was hell. Then it got better and better and I energetic and well. I also had to take a variety of herbal concoctions and do colonic irrigation to unravel my twisted and inflamed guts.

Then I started to eat stuff like lettuce and grilled fish and paw paw - there was a list of stuff I could eat (can't remember now - this was about 20 years ago) and a list of stuff I should stay away from.

But as I said - over time it got better.

Oh yeah - and at the time I was also in a stressful *kitten* relationship and not doing exercise and all sorts of things and once all that went away things got better too - exercise helped and dumping the loser helped and getting my mental health back in a decent space helped!

I didn't want to go down the conventional doctor's route - which was to cut out a massive piece of my guts and be on cortisone tabs for the rest of my life. especially after I randomly met a girl when I was out one night and she'd had the same problem and had the op and still had problems anyway - even with the op.

Chinese medicine also I'm told is effective.

Just giving other options is all Good luck with it!

lpadancer

Hey there--sorry you have been feeling this way for so long.

I have also experienced issues with digestion and over the course of several years saw different doctors (and types of doctors) about it, was prescribed different medications, and saw no real improvement. I was, however, under extreme stress throughout this period of my life. Near the end, I felt incredibly nauseous each morning before work (and was subsequently given several pregnancy tests and a transvaginal ultrasound...really intense/invasive when you know you are not pregnant and under a lot of stress. Probably intense/invasive for anyone.). All of this amplified, turning into regular panic attacks.

Through this period of feeling sick all the time, I had awful eating habits. I tried eating everything (and lots of everything) in an attempt to make myself physically feel better. I thought that some forgotten combination of foods might make my digestion normal again or something.

When our mental health is out of balance, wacky things can happen in the body. You mention anxiety and depression. I also deal with both of these. I've noticed that in keeping up with my weekly therapy sessions (where I can work to more fully express how I feel about things--something I was not in the practice of doing before) my anxiety has lessened, my digestion is much better, and I have a way better handle on curating my diet for maximum satiety. I am more in tune with my feelings in general. Are you seeing a therapist on a regular basis? If you are, how do you feel about your therapist? Some people think therapy is therapy, but your connection (or lack of connection) with a therapist can be a great asset or really detrimental to your progress.

I'm totally projecting my situation on yours--hope you find a great solution whatever that may be

daniwilford

A co-worker of mine had all kinds of issues and it turned out to be her gallbladder. My college roommate had really bad digestive issues, the root of her problems, psychological as a result of being sexually abused as a child. Don't rule out a physical problem without checking everything, but continue to work on your emotional issues. Sometimes it is a combination of problems.

kk_inprogress

My digestive issues have always been linked to stress or medication allergy. Are you on any medications? Again, discuss with a doc.

caffeinatedcami

I do understand your frustration. I encourage you to continue working with your doctors to find a diagnosis but I can also tell you from experience that severe ibs alone can cause all those symptoms. I can absolutely relate to your bloating issues. It's a nearly daily problem for me as well no matter what I eat. I also have celiac but since I follow a gluten free diet I know that ibs is the real issue. I have anxiety and depression as well so I know how emotions can make my IBS unbearable sometimes (and vis versa)

As others have said I really hope you seek help from a therapist of some kind. You definitely have an unhealthy relationship with food and suicidal thoughts should never be taken lightly. Mental health is just as important as physical health. And you might find that getting help for your depression and anxiety also improves your IBS. Wishing you the best.

cmtigger

LadyLallybroch wrote: »

I also have issues with anxiety. I've found when my stress levels go up, I get digestive issues no matter what I'm eating. I've had months go by where this is a constant thing - every time I eat. I've also been treated for IBS, though none of the treatment ever helped. When I'm more relaxed, happy, and don't have as much anxiety, my digestion issues mostly disappear. Nothing has been confirmed from a medical perspective, these are just my observations. It could be that you are experiencing something similar. If you're experiencing anxiety and depression, you should also be seeing a doctor for those. Ask them if your digestive symptoms could be related.

This. I have stress or my schedule changes and my IBS flares. Usually it's constipation.

SeptemberFeyre

I think you've gotten some good advice here, but one very important thing you need to keep in mind when starting a new diet (food map) is that it takes two weeks for any irritating food to get out of your system. For example, when my daughter was little she was having constant diarrhea. Found out she was lactose intolerant but the diarrhea didn't stop until day 13, because it takes that long to completely clear the system of all molecules of an offending food.

lemonychild

"gaps" is the known for helping with digestive issues and its incredbile - google it

LKArgh

hellokitty4321 wrote: »

I have been looking for a food allergist that takes my insurance but haven't found one yet. Maybe I'll try looking again. I quit the low fodmap diet on the third day bc it is extremely difficult. I cannot eat any fruits with the exception of a banana about every week and it seems like every veggies makes me feel bad except for spinach. So, I've been only eating chicken broth, rice, chicken, bananas, potato chips, eggs and spinach for the past three days. Still, my symptoms haven't gotten any better. The diet is extremely difficult bc you are so limited on what you can eat. With me, I don't even want to try eating fruits and veggies bc I remember years ago, I used to get horrible digestive issues from most fruits. But yes. I just hope that a doctor will be able to help me. I just need this digestive issue to go away.

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Have you been referred to an allergist/immunologist? Are you still seeing a GI specialist? My goodness there are any number of things that could cause these symptoms. Some are simple and easily fixed, others are complicated and not fixable, but you need to know the cause before trying to find the cure. Why did you quit on FOODMAP after only 3 days!?

Get thee to a doctor. If they can't help, demand to be referred on until you find someone that can.

A low fodmap diet is not a diet for life and nothing at all will happen in a few days. You are supposed to eliminate several foods (which means, yes, eating very little variety), wait a few weeks to see if you are feeling better, and then gradually reintroduce foods. The goal is to figure out what is bothering you, so you can permanently eliminate it. Depending on what you are sensitive at, it can take weeks of elimination until you can see a definite improvement. So, if a dr suggested you try this, you need to stick with it for the recommended duration, and be very careful about reading all labels and not cheating.

MelodyandBarbells

Maybe consider paying for the allergist blood test yourself, insurance or not. Sounds like it could be worth it

crazychic_1133

Hi,

I have chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as M.E). A lot of sufferers of that can experience digestive issues unfortunately, but it sounds like you have something else.

I see a gastroenterologist as I have IBS and for another stomach issue. He suggested I go on the Low FODMAP Diet as, like you, I have bloating after eating at times. Like you, I can put on a few inches around my stomach - I measured myself once and the difference was three inches. When my stomach is like this, I walk hunched over and it flares up my IBS after a while. I have linked it with certain foods (too much bread, for example - I know if it eat more than two slices of bread a day, I will be bad. If I have a sandwich for lunch, I won't have pizza for dinner). I tried the Low FODMAP diet quite strictly, though not too strictly (for example, high FODMAP foods, you can cut out completely or restrict - I just restricted, rather than cut out). I tried it for about a month and a half and it was such an improvement on my symptoms!

Christmas came along and then that screwed it all up! I haven't been all that great this year with following the low FODMAP diet. I might try and week here or there but now I know I need to do it really all the time to stop the pains.

I bought this book recently, which is great. There is another one by the same authors, but that is more of a cookbook, whereas while this one has lots of recipes too, over half the book is just explaining the diet, which foods are low, moderate and high FODMAP. amazon.co.uk/Complete-Low-FODMAP-Diet-revolutionary-digestive/dp/0091955351/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444218956&sr=8-1&keywords=low+fodmap+diet

Before I got the book though, from last year, I've been using this list online as a guide: Remember, it's just a guide. Not all of the foods will affect you! ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/

It's also worth getting tested for allergies and intolerances (not the same thing). Someone I know, who works in food intolerance, says that some food intolerances can be confused for others. For example, some people can think they're wheat intolerant, but it can actually be the yeast in the product, so it's worth having a test done to be certain what it is you're allergic or intolerant to.

Sapphires4me

See a nutritionist. There is a blood test (MRT - Mediator Release Test) they can do that will tell you everything you have ever eaten and how it reacts with your body chemistry. Could be a spice or something that simple that is giving you problems.